Grand Junction, CO – National School Bus Safety Week is approaching, and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Grand Junction Police Department are urging drivers to slow down around school buses and always stop when the school bus stop-arms are extended and the red lights are flashing.
According to NHTSA, from 2015 to 2024, a total of 204 school-age children died in school bus related crashes, either as occupants of school buses or other vehicles, or on foot or bicycle. Of those deaths, 77 were pedestrians. From 2000 to 2024, there were 63 fatalities nationwide in crashes that involved a driver illegally passing a stopped school bus, an average of 2.5 fatalities a year. Almost half of those fatalities (27) were pedestrians who were 18 years old or younger.
**What is the law? **
When a school bus’s red lights are flashing and the stop-arm is extended, drivers have a legal responsibility to come to a complete stop. Motorists may begin moving only when the red flashing lights are turned off, the stop-arm is withdrawn, and the school bus begins to move. Motorists should be aware of children in the area and use extreme caution.
Respect the “Danger Zone”
The school bus loading and unloading area is called the “Danger Zone.” Specifically, this is any side of the bus where the bus driver cannot see the child and, therefore, the child is most vulnerable while crossing the street. This is why all lanes should stop for school buses. These areas include:
10 feet in front of the bus, where the bus driver may be sitting too high to see a child
10 feet on either side of the bus, where a child may be in the bus driver’s blind spot
Behind the bus
Remember, traffic safety takes all of us. Please do your part to keep our community safe.
For more information about school bus safety, please visit School Bus Safety | Bus Stops, Drivers | NHTSA.